"Zhou Xianggong, the Neijing man said that the new weaving bureau would purchase cotton and raw silk at a price of 50% higher than the market price. Are you saying this true?"

At this time, in Huating County, Songjiang Prefecture, farmers She Kaide found the village gentry Zhou Jiansheng to confirm the authenticity of the cotton and raw silk purchased at high prices in the inner court.

Now the people are no longer particularly disgusted with the opening of a new weaving bureau in Songjiang Prefecture, but instead shift their attention to the fact that the weaving bureau wants to purchase cotton and raw silk at high prices.

After all, anyone with discerning eyes understands that purchasing cotton and raw silk at high prices is naturally beneficial to people like them.

If the new weaving bureau really wants to purchase cotton and raw silk at a high price, it is equivalent to the God of Wealth. Who would refuse to open the weaving bureau in Songjiang Prefecture?

certainly.

Because the image of eunuchs has always been bad among the people, there are reasons for the guidance of gentry and public opinion, and there are reasons for the eunuchs' own misconduct.

But in general, the people were indeed skeptical of the high-priced purchase of cotton and raw silk proposed by the inner court.

Therefore, only rich peasants like She Kaide would first find local gentry like Zhou Jiansheng to confirm the authenticity of the eunuchs in the inner court purchasing cotton and raw silk at high prices.

For farmers like Shekaide, the gentry in the hometown is naturally more reliable than the eunuchs, after all, everyone is a neighbor.

Zhou Jiansheng and the gentry in Songjiang Prefecture were the same, and they were in a very depressed mood at this time.

Because they wanted to use the public opinion that the inner court's eunuchs came to Songjiang Prefecture to open a new weaving bureau when they quarreled that the inner court wanted to lower the purchase price of cotton and raw silk, and then they took care of the people's will of the people who only purchased cotton and raw silk at a price slightly lower than the market price but slightly higher than the purchase price of eunuchs in the inner court. In this way, they could make more profits and make their neighbors feel like they were. Isn't it the best of both worlds?

But what Zhou Jiansheng didn't expect was that the eunuchs in the inner court actually wanted to purchase cotton and raw silk at a high market price of 50%. This caught him and other gentry of Songjiang Prefecture off guard. They were all wondering how the eunuchs in the inner court dared to have such confidence, directly raising the price of Khmer and raw silk, and raising the price of 50% at one time. Do you not want to make money?

But no matter what, a gentry like Zhou Jiansheng, like Songjiang Prefecture, had to admit that his conspiracy to use the matter of the eunuchs in the inner court to start a new weaving bureau to suppress the purchase price of cotton and raw silk in the hands of the neighbors.

Even the current gentry of Songjiang Prefecture like Zhou Jiansheng can only raise prices in order to compete with the upcoming official weaving bureau for the cotton and raw silk market.

However, Zhou Jiansheng did not dare to raise the price of cotton and raw silk. He didn't know why the eunuchs in the inner court had such great confidence and dared to raise the price of cotton and raw silk by 50%!

But he knew that more and more businesses are going overseas to sell cotton silk, and the prices are also continuing to fall. In order to sell more cotton silk from his own business, he had to lower the price.

Nowadays, if you raise the purchase price of Khmer and raw silk to 50%, your business will not even think about making too much profit.

Therefore, Zhou Jiansheng could only use his neighbor She Kai’s trust in him and said:

"Uncle Yu, do you believe the words of the Neijing? This official always speaks beautifully, but like the sister in the kiln, he still cares who you are after taking your money. Now they say it is a 50% purchase price, but do you think they will cash it out? When you transport the cotton and raw silk, they only take your cotton and raw silk and refuse to admit it. What else can you do? Could it be that you dare to smash the weaving bureau? If you do that, you will be blackmailed and treasoned for treason!"

After Zhou Jiansheng said this, She Kaide believed it and nodded: "It's such a reason, so I came to ask you for advice. You are a scholar, knowledgeable, and have a lot of contact with the officials above. Tell me, what should we do, I will listen to you!"

Capitalists can sell anything for profit, even if they risk their lives by committing illegal crimes or even paying their lives, let alone the trust of their neighbors in themselves.

Therefore, this Zhou Jiansheng said again: "After all, everyone is neighbors. If I don't help you, who will help you? Let's do this? Our Zhou family purchases your cotton and raw silk at a price of half a percent higher than the market price. You are not at a loss, and you can get more benefits. As for me, I will not lose too much because the price of raw silk is too high. It is OK for everyone. What do you think?"

She Kaide distrusts the eunuchs in the inner court who will really purchase their own cotton and raw silk at a price of 50% higher than the market price. The reason why he came to Zhou Jiansheng was that he hoped that Zhou Jiansheng would no longer buy his own cotton and raw silk at a low price. It would be the best if he could purchase his own cotton and raw silk at a fair price.

After all, more and more people are planting cotton and picking raw silk nowadays. It can be said that every family grows cotton and picks mulberry, which has also led to the continued decline in prices of cotton and raw silk.

In She Kaide's opinion, it is thankful that he can sell his own cotton and raw silk without lowering the price this year.

But She Kaide didn't expect that Zhou Jiansheng would take care of himself at a purchase price higher than half the price, so he naturally became even happier and thanked Zhou Jiansheng:

"Mr. Zhou, you are really a living Bodhisattva. No wonder people like you can be a scholar and read good books. It is true that this good person will be rewarded! Lao She only hopes that you can live a long life!"

In She Kaide's eyes, Zhou Jiansheng was undoubtedly a truly good gentry and a living Bodhisattva. It was much better than the eunuchs who ate people and didn't spit bones in the plays and rumors. In the end, it was still neighbors. Even if they were rich and powerful, they knew how to take care of neighbors.

Zhou Jiansheng also calmly accepted She Kaide's praise for himself, and even he was used to the scene where he could make his neighbors grateful to him by giving him some benefits. He had to sigh that the foolish people are really easy to fool, and the simple villagers are even more easy to fool.

It is precisely because of this that he could not understand why the court wanted these poor children from the villagers to study, and they did not read books that taught people to be respectful and moderate, but they read books like "Who are there any kings, princes, generals and ministers?", which made the poor children in the village who originally regarded themselves as living Bodhisattvas now regarded themselves as "Liu Wencai" and "Zhou Pai" that were circulated in operas, which made them have to try their best to whitewash these so-called "Liu Laocai" and "Zhou Pai" and specifically asked them to build bridges and pave roads to explain, and pay for books to prove that these people are wise gentry.

certainly.

Zhou Jiansheng was pleased that fortunately, the older villagers still trusted them more gentry.

Those poor children who were disobedient after reading the book made them dislike the gentry and elders in the village dislike, nor were they welcomed by their parents.

There is no other reason.

These poor children who have received new education are all very reactionary, and they don’t even listen to their parents’ words. In the eyes of the gentry and the elderly in the village, they are all a group of disobedient and unfilial people. The biggest drawback of the new education is to instigate their children to react, corrupt the ethics of the principles and ethics, and not advocate filial piety.

After turning back, Zhou Jiansheng reached an agreement with She Kaide, he immediately asked She Kaikai to sign the contract. She Kaide pressed his handprint and happily officially agreed to sell all the cotton and raw silk in his house to Zhou Jiansheng at a price of half a percent higher than the market price. He felt that he had taken a big advantage and kept saying Zhou Jiansheng's goodness.

Zhou Jiansheng became even happier because of this. He simply let She Kai stay at his home for one night, and asked someone to clean up one room in the yard where his servants lived to make She Kai stay. He also invited She Kai to the banquet, which made She Kai very happy and felt that her face was shining. After all, although he was only living in a room with the servant, being able to stay by the prison master for dinner and spend the night was considered a very favorable face for him, a country bumpkin.

"Have you not agreed to come back and get married to the girl from the Lin family in the neighboring village?"

During the meal, Zhou Jiansheng and She Kaide started chatting, and then she talked about She Kaide's family affairs. She Kaide sighed:

"Mr. Zhou, don't mention this rebellious son. I wish I could beat him to death. Since he studied in the Songjiang Mansion Middle School, he said that he would abandon bad habits and refuse to marry the Lin girl whom he was engaged to, because the Lin girl had bound her feet and said that she would only marry the Tianzu girl! Tell me, is this a traitor!"

"How can the words of the matchmaker be violated by the orders of parents? The new education issued by the Kang Thief (Kang Hai) in the court is very harmful. It is obvious that it is to clear away illiteracy and enlighten the people's wisdom, which is really corrupting the ethics of the general principles!" Zhou Jiansheng couldn't help but sigh.

"It's the reason. If he could learn the rituals like you and take the exam for a scholar, even if he only had a child, I would be content, but now I didn't expect it to be like this. If the court hadn't provided subsidies, I would have asked him to come back!" She Kaide took a few sips of wine and continued to speak.

At night, She Kaide rested at Zhou Jiansheng's house, but before he could take off his clothes, a servant from Zhou Jiasan came over: "Would you not be afraid of the cold when you sleep alone at night?"

She Kaide heard the Zhou family servant talk and understood three things. He hurriedly pulled the Zhou family servant, stuffed a silver coin into his arms, and asked in a low voice: "I dare not hide it from me, I just drank some wine with your master, and was panicking. Could it be that there is anyone in your mansion doing this business?"

"Yes, of course there is a girl named Yun in our mansion who specializes in this kind of business. Whether it is the master above, you farmers, or we servants, just give her some cloth, gold, silver jewelry, etc., it will make you feel comfortable!"

After the Zhou family laughed in a low voice, he pointed to a charming maid walking by the Yuedong Gate opposite: "She is Miss Yun!"

She Kai looked in the direction the servant of the Zhou family pointed. Seeing that Miss Yun was turning around and smiling at him, and it was obviously much whiter and tenderer than his yellow-headed and earthy wife, she suddenly had nothing in her mind. She just wanted to pounce on her and lay on Miss Yun and said, "Will your master mind?"

"The master will not care about our servants. If you really want to, give me thirty silver dollars. I will tell her man that when her man comes out, you can go in. Then his man will look out for you outside," said the servant of the Zhou family.

She Kaide had just received a deposit of fifty silver dollars from Zhou Jiansheng. After hearing what the servant of the Zhou family said, he quickly counted thirty silver dollars to the servant of the Zhou family. The servant of the Zhou family hurriedly ran away.

She Kaide was waiting in the room with expectation. When she thought of Miss Yun's face that was so tender that she could pinch out of water, her whole body was very hot. She looked out the window from time to time. Sure enough, after a while, the servant of the Zhou family came.

She Kai was so anxious that she went up and asked: Brother, what did Miss Yun say?"

"Come with me!"

As the servant of the Zhou family said, she led She to the Yuedong Gate and came to a wing room: "Get in, Uncle She, don't have too loud voices, it's not good to disturb others."

She Kaihe nodded and walked over. At this time, he saw a man sitting on the stone steps outside the wing room and was guessing that this might be Miss Yun’s man. He didn’t find it strange, because it is common for such a wealthy family to have such activities.

She opened the door and saw Miss Yun lying on the couch, supporting her cheek with one hand and tugging up the pomegranate skirt from time to time, revealing her white legs: "Come on!"

She Kaide had to admit that this wealthy family was different. Even the servants were more attractive than the women in his village. So She Kaide couldn't help but untied her sweat towel, and Miss Yun had become a pool of mud.

But at the most critical moment, when She Kai was about to get in, Miss Yun closed the door and refused to do so: "You have to give you another money and another twenty silver dollars, otherwise I will not accept it and will shout out, saying that you want to force me, and then our master will know, and I will not be able to spare you!"

She Kaide was very anxious at this time, and he could not bear this torture. He hurriedly gave the last twenty silver dollars to Miss Yun, and then got what he wanted. With the fragrance of soapy water on Miss Yun, he drooled and penetrated into the holes that thousands of people had entered. For a moment, he felt that the women of wealthy families were different from those of the village.

The next morning, when the sky was just dawn, She Kaide hurriedly left Miss Yun's place. As soon as she came out, she saw her man still lying in the green grass and napping. She didn't say anything, but returned to the room she lived in, and then took an empty cloth bag without silver dollars and said a word to Zhou Jiansheng.

It was not until she left Zhou Jiansheng's house that She Kaide regretted it a little. She felt that she seemed a little unworthy. She slept with a servant from the Zhou family for a night and spent fifty silver dollars in vain, which was more expensive than spending the night in the Qinhuai River flower boat in Nanjing.

Zhou Jiansheng also came to Miss Yun's place at this time, and ignored Miss Yun's man and just asked Miss Yun: "Where is the silver dollar?"

"Back to Master, everyone is here!" Miss Yun, who had a scattered bun, did not tie her half-open collars, but only brought out her breasts and half-exposed, and brought a bunch of silver dollars over.

"You keep five pieces yourself!"

As Zhou Jiansheng said this, he also picked up Miss Yun’s white chin, and then threw a silver coin into Miss Yun’s breasts, and then rushed on.

Although the girl Yun was in harmony with her body, she said, "My master is about to leave my house, I am very dirty!"

"Dirty, what's the dirty thing? If you are dirty, then Songjiang Mansion will be fine! Let me kiss you quickly." Zhou Jiansheng said this and started moving on Miss Yun.

Miss Yun's husband outside saw that there were a wave of sweet voices in the room, so he had to drink three more sips of wine and then fell asleep in a drowsy way.

Zhou Jiansheng also walked out of Miss Yun's room and returned to his former serious and solemn appearance. He played the role of a good gentry among the villagers. He used various methods to receive the villagers' cotton and raw silk from their own business. Of course, he also did shameful things from time to time, earning the villagers' silver dollars into his own pockets, which made these villagers feel ashamed and felt that they had done something wrong and took advantage of the gentry.

Like Zhou Jiansheng, other gentry in Songjiang Prefecture are similar. The methods may be different, but the purpose is the same. They use their advantages of controlling the grassroots private sector to monopolize upstream products such as cotton and raw silk in the textile industry, thus making it impossible for the newly opened weaving bureau to purchase a large amount of cotton and raw silk for the time being.

"Godfather, we have all raised the market price by 50% to purchase cotton and raw silk. These people do not seem to respond very positively. Now our Weaving Bureau's steam spinning machine has been installed, and the workers are waiting for the cotton to collect it to start work," Diao Yong, the eunuch of the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau, couldn't help but say to Luo Xiang.

At this time, another eunuch from the weaving and dyeing bureau, Lai An hurriedly came: "Godfather, after inquiring, I learned that many gentry were also taking the opportunity to purchase cotton and raw silk at a price of half or 10% higher than the market price. The people did not believe that we really purchased at a price of 50% higher than the market price, so now we gave cotton and raw silk to these gentry!"

"What should we do? Without cotton, what should we spin the weaving bureau do? Godfather, think of a solution!"

Diao Yong couldn't help but panic and looked at Luo Xiang and said.

"Your Majesty said that these gentry are scholars, and these people are the masses. Although scholars are a minority, they are the most cunning. Although there are many people, they are the easiest to be deceived. If intellectuals and the masses are united, they will be invincible in the world. To the outside world, they can resist the Tartars or allow barbarians to occupy our China. To the inside, they can either change the emperor or let the common people become emperors!"

"But if we separate the two, we will all become soft-legged shrimps. The so-called scholars will be more obedient than the dogs you raise, and the so-called masses can tolerate more than the cattle you raise. So, what we have to do now is to separate them and not delude these gentry again!"

Luo Xiang is not very panicked now that he has received Zhu Houzhao's sage, and even talks about his understanding of this phenomenon indifferently.

but.

At this moment, the gate suddenly came to report: "Zhou Yuan, a student of Songjiang Prefecture, asked for a message!"

"Zhou Yuan? The younger brother of Zhou Yong, the Minister of the Ministry of Works of Nanjing, is not busy collecting cotton and raw silk now. Why did he come to find my father-in-law? Let him wait in the front hall!"

Luo Xiang received this Zhou Jiansheng shortly after saying that.

"Zhang Sheng Zhou Yuan met his father-in-law. Wan Sheng came uninvited and did not do anything else. He just wanted to discuss a business with his father-in-law. Wan Sheng dared not hide it from him. At present, cotton and raw silk in Songjiang Mansion are being purchased by Wan Sheng and several other local gentry companies. At that time, my father-in-law would be afraid that it would be difficult to purchase enough cotton and raw silk. Now, Wan Sheng came to see his father-in-law, so that he would naturally talk to his father-in-law about this business, so as to avoid his father-in-law being unable to make a difference with His Majesty!"

Zhou Yuan said.

"Is that true? Since that's the case, how did Zhou Jiansheng plan to do this business with our family?" Luo Xiang wanted to know what he was selling in Zhou Jiansheng's gourd, so he asked.

"It's very simple. The Weaving Bureau does not purchase cotton and raw silk from the people. It is purchased from us. Our companies can sell these cotton and raw silk to you at a price of 20% higher than the market price. You continue to tell the above that you purchased at a price of 50% higher than the market price. In this way, you and your father-in-law of the Weaving Bureau can earn 30% of the profits. Of course, even the gentry of Songjiang Prefecture can give up half of the profits and bribe civil and military officials at all levels such as the governor of Nanzhili to the magistrate of Huating County, Songjiang Prefecture. Naturally, no one will report it. It can even be like this every year in the future. The father-in-law and the father-in-law of the Weaving Bureau can naturally make money every year, and the civil officials and gentry will not make things difficult for the father-in-law. Why not do it!"

"Of course, my father-in-law can even report to the court that the price of cotton and raw silk will increase every year and increase the price of cotton purchases, turning the price higher than the current market price of 50% to 70% of 80% of the city. With Your Majesty's love for the people today, as long as it benefits the people, Your Majesty will naturally not doubt it! You said, Eunuch Luo, isn't it good to let everyone get rich together? Even the people of Songjiang Prefecture can get benefits, and there will be no trouble at that time! Even the father-in-law can successfully open a new weaving bureau and will not disappoint His Majesty!"

This week, the supervisor of the sect said.

To be honest, Luo Xiang was almost moved by Zhou Jiansheng. He had to admit that this was a clever plan, both himself, the civil and military officials in Nanzhili and even the common people in Nanzhili had benefited.
To be continued...